by Luanne Jones
Will—someday if you want to see him grin real big, sneak up on him and call him Wild Billy—Will and Rita had a small ceremony at a church in Memphis. They never did go much for fluff and folderol. Besides, Rita said, she was far too busy with her fall classes at college to plan a big affair. And she did not want to compete with Jillie for the honor of most-talked-about wedding. And she would have, too, what with the likes of Lacey Marie, Cozette, and Jillie as bridesmaids and Miss Peggy and me fighting (false) tooth and (press-on) nail over which one of us would be flower girl. That would have been an event most folks in town would have paid to see.
So, if you do drop in some morning and ask after Rita, that’s what you’ll hear. That and the tornado story—again. But first you’ll want to order yourself up a piece of pie, or cobbler or, if it’s not too early in the day, a hefty slice of red velvet cake—they still use Rita’s recipes though no one ever quite made them as good as her. Don’t be shy about ordering plenty, either. Because no one will get around to telling you anything about Rita West until they’ve made sure you know down to the last detail all about that summer when Rita tore the Pig Rib Palace apart, then tore away everything holding her back and took off. Just like her mama. Just like we all knew she would once she got the right wind under her wings.
Call me Sugar, Sugar, Sugar Cookies
Don’t tell Cozie they aren’t health food—sometimes it’s healthy just to eat food that makes you feel good.
4 c. flour
1/2 c. sour cream
1 c. soft butter
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 t. baking powder
1 t. vanilla
11/2 c. sugar
1 egg
Sift flour, powder, soda, salt, nutmeg. Cream butter, sugar and add egg then sour cream and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and blend well. Chill overnight. Divide dough into four parts. Roll out one section at a time. Return other parts to the fridge. Cut with cookie cutters and bake at 350°F on greased cookie sheet for 8–10 minutes.
Peanut Butter Cheese Torte
Some Southerners have more sophisticated tastes than fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches, y’all.
Crust:
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c. melted butter
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped peanuts
Filling:
2 c. creamy peanut butter
2 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla
2 pkg. soft cream cheese—16 oz.
2 T. soft butter
11/2 c. stiffly beaten whipping cream
Topping:
4 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
chopped peanuts—optional
3 T. plus 2 t. hot coffee
Combine all crust ingredients. Press into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 10-inch spring form pan. Chill. For filling, beat peanut butter, cream cheese, sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl on high until smooth, about 2 minutes. Fold in whipped cream. Gently spoon into crust; refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. For topping, melt chocolate with coffee until smooth. Spread over chilled torte. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped peanuts if desired.
Pucker Power Pie
Pucker up and say “Yum!”
7 T. cornstarch
11/2 c. sugar
2 c. water
¼ c. butter
dash of salt
4 egg yolks
1/2 c. lemon juice
Mix cornstarch, salt and sugar. Boil 1 cup water. Add cornstarch mixture to 1 cup cool water and stir. Stir in boiling water and cook 4 minutes. Mixture should be thick and clear. Add about 1/4 cup hot mixture to egg yolks and combine well. Add egg mixture gradually to hot mixture. Cook 45 seconds. Add lemon juice and butter, mix well. Cool. Serve in graham cracker crust. Top with whipped cream if desired.
Taste of Heaven Divinity
Be an angel and make a batch.
2 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla flavoring
1/8 t. salt
1/2 c. water
2 egg whites
1/8 t. cream of tartar
Combine sugar, water, salt, and cream of tartar. Cover and boil for 5 minutes. Uncover. Wipe sides of saucepan with a damp cloth. Boil without stirring to firm ball stage (245°–248°F). Pour slowly, beating constantly, over stiffly beaten egg whites. Add flavoring. Continue beating until candy holds its shape when dropped from a spoon. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired.
Slap-Together Cake
Slap a bib on and dig in!
1 c. fruit cocktail drained
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. baking soda
¼ c. brown sugar
1/4 c. liquid from fruit cocktail
1 t. vanilla1
1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. nuts
Put fruit cocktail, liquid, sugar, vanilla, and egg into bowl. Sift into same bowl the flour, soda, and salt. Mix everything together until only moist. Do not mix too much. Sprinkle brown sugar and nuts on top. Bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes in greased and floured 8-inch pans.
Mint Ice
Well, it ain’t a Julep, but it’ll cool you down just fine on a hot day.
1 c. sugar
2 egg whites
a few grains of salt
¼ c. lemon juice
11/2 c. water
green food coloring mint flavoring
Combine sugar and water. Boil 10 minutes. Cool. Add lemon juice and salt. Flavor with mint. Add food coloring until desired tint is obtained. Mix thoroughly. Pour into tray of mechanical refrigerator. Freeze to mushy consistency. Remove from tray. Place in chilled bowl. Whip until light. Carefully fold into stiffly beaten egg whites. Return to tray. Freeze until firm. 6 servings.
CAUTION: If you are worried about using uncooked eggs, do not use this recipe!
Red Velvet Cake
An old favorite that Rita made her specialty, the Perfect Princess cake, by adding strawberries dipped in white chocolate—it’ll make you feel like royalty!
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
2 large eggs
1 t. baking soda
2 T. cocoa
1 T. white vinegar
2 t. vanilla extract
11/2 c. sugar
21/2 c. cake flour
1/2 t. salt
1 c. buttermilk
2 (1-ounce) bottles red liquid food coloring
Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir together flour and next three ingredients. Stir together buttermilk and next three ingredients. Add flour mixture to butter mixture mixing alternatively with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.
Pour batter into three greased and floured round cake pans. Bake at 350°F for 17–19 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Spread frosting between layers and on top and on sides of cake. Cover and store in refrigerator.
Boiled Icing:
11/2 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla flavoring
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1/8 t. cream of tartar
3/4 c. boiling water a few grains of salt
Combine sugar, water, cream of tartar, and salt. Stir until dissolved. Boil to soft ball stage (236°F). Pour slowly, beating constantly, over egg whites. Add flavoring. Beat until thick and creamy.
Aunt Bette’s Church Lady Chocolate Brownie Cake
A favorite Southern funeral food that won’t be turned away at a Fourth of July picnic or as a groom’s cake at a church basement wedding reception.
2 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 stick
margarine
1 t. baking soda
6 T. cocoa
2 c. flour
½ c. shortening
2 eggs (beaten)
1 t. vanilla
½ c. buttermilk
Sift flour and sugar together. Bring to boil the water, shortening, margarine and cocoa. Pour this hot mixture over flour, sugar mix. While hot, add buttermilk, eggs, soda and vanilla. Pour into large cookie sheet (mix will be thin) and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.
Icing:
1 stick butter
6 T. milk
1 box powdered sugar
4 T. cocoa
1 t. vanilla
1 c. nuts (optional)
Bring to boil the butter, cocoa and milk. Add powdered sugar (sifted), vanilla and nuts. Spread over cake while icing is still hot so it will melt into cake.
Brandy Slush
When plain old sweet tea or lemonade just ain’t enough!
Boil two cups water and steep four tea bags in it. Dissolve two cups sugar in the tea. Add twelve ounces frozen orange juice, twelve ounces frozen lemonade, seven cups water, and two cups brandy. Mix well and freeze. Makes one gallon. Keep in freezer. Put some slush in a glass and fill up with 7-Up (about half slush and half 7-Up). Carries a real kick!
Bunco Night Brand-Name Bliss
All the girls at work will ask for the recipe.
1 pkg. Double Oreo cookies
1 stick butter (or margarine) melted
Pour butter or margarine over crushed cookies. Stir until cookies are coated with butter.
2 (8 oz.) Cool Whips
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese (room temperature)
1 c. confectioner’s sugar
Mix well in large bowl: 12 oz. instant chocolate pudding (mix as directed). Alternate layers beginning with cookies/filling/pudding, ending with cookies.
Cousin Nancy’s Famous Cheese Pocket Pie
Just right for when guests drop in unexpectedly like they do around here.
2 premade pie crusts
1 T. lemon juice
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
½ c. sugar
Place bottom crust on aluminum foil on cooking pan. Mix cream cheese, lemon juice and sugar well. Spread on bottom crust. Place second crust on top and crimp edges. Push foil up to crimped edges. Cut four slits in top crust. Bake at 425°F for 25 minutes. Top pie with powdered sugar, water and vanilla glaze. No clean up is needed as you just throw away the aluminum foil and put the cooking pan away.
Acknowledgments
A multitude of thanks go out to the good folks who helped me with everything from achieving authenticity to not giving up on me throughout the process of putting this book together.
To my cohorts on the Southern Porch, thank you for helping me get the details right. Thanks to my princess pals—Lynn Bulock, Sharon Gillenwater, and Diane Noble—for their encouragement, laughter, and listening. Thanks to Bill for his input on Memphis–style ribs and to Denise Camp for all the little tidbits of local color she came up with whenever I hit a snag. Also to the friends and family members who shared recipes: Nancy Henneke, Patje Lentz, Janella Price, Jody Henneke, Maxine Shorter (my mama, who was able to share by way of notes in the cookbook—the one with the cover almost burned off!—she passed on to me before she died).
About the Author
Luanne Jones is southern born and bred. She’s the author of THE SWEETHEARTS OF THE TWILIGHT LANES.
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Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
THE DIXIE BELLE’S GUIDE TO LOVE. Copyright © 2002 by Luanne Jones. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub © Edition DECEMBER 2008 ISBN: 9780061976896
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